These young mothers are like any new parents. They are nervous, sometimes scared, excited and filled with love for their newborns. Parenthood, no matter the parent's age, is a profound, life-altering experience.

Still, there is no pretending teen parenthood is the same as having a child as an adult. Teens are less prepared emotionally and financially, and their situations often — though not always, of course — require public assistance. There is good reason for any community to discourage teen parenthood.

For a community looking to shed unwelcome stereotypes, tackling the teen pregnancy problem is a fundamental way to start. Jackson County's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, a collaboration between the Health Department and United Way, does vital work and needs to continue. Past teen pregnancy efforts in Jackson foundered because they ran out of money, and that cannot happen again.

Beyond that, persuading teenagers to avoid the bad decisions that lead to premature parenthood is difficult, exacting business. It requires good education in schools and at home, stable households in which parents talk about sex, and healthy outlets that build children's self-esteem. If resources were no issue, we'd love to see a Girls on the Run program in every Jackson County elementary school.